FUSION KITE

Hokitika Guardian, 17 January 1931, Page 5

FUSION KITE

NO RESULTS YET

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.. 1

AU UK LAN I), January R 3

Speaking at 'le hopurai, the leader of tlie Opposition. Mr Coates made tae following siiittineiit a lew weeks ago:—“I made a statement of my considered opinion upon the proposal that a fusion, or a coalition, should be affected between the Reform Party and the United Party. I then pointed out that the Reform Party, as a party had nothing to gain by any such development, lint, at the gain© time, because we of the Reform Party 1 do liones'tly endeavour to place the interest of the country before all party and personal interests, 1 added that we should .be willing to consider any proposal that might be made to us by this Government, provided only that it was based on its acceptance of those principles and items of policy which we believe to be right and necessary in the interests of the Dominion. I referred to the following seven points of policy upon which we insisted in national interest

(1) A return to the late Reform Government's policy of tapering off public borrowing; (2) that measures be taken to bring down the costs of production to enable our producers, (primary and Secondary), to meet the ,new level of world prices; (3) that a policy of derating be initiated to ease the. burden of roading costs cm tfje farmers; (4) that the operating railways be removed from political control ; (5) that the expenditure •on new railway construction cease in every case where it cannot be proved that the new line when completed, will bo economically sound; (6) that the rate of wages paid to single men on purely relief works be lower than the standard wage: (7) that, although night drills ina\- be eliminated, the svgtem of national defence be based on the principle of national service. These were mv points, and I believe them to be pressing matters. If any fusion or coalition . should eventuate we regard it as essential that it should be based on the acceptance of common principles and a common policy. and not on any consideration of personnel. The various arguments advanced in favour of a fusion, a coalition, on the formation of a so-called National Government have been carefully considered. and I have been forced to the conclusion that those arguments are unsound. A Government can be strone onlv if it has unity and solidarity, and only a strong and stable Government could deal effectively with our present problems. Any hotch-potch government resulting from a fusion or a coalition would inevitably suffer froin internal weaknesses and dissension which would render it helpless. I am convinced that the principles and policy of the Reform Party are right and necessary in the best interests of the community as a whole. T am averse to the formation of a hotch-potch government. because I conscientiously believe that such a step would not be in the best, interests of the Dominion. and T have reason to believe that in this, I am expressing the opinion of the majority of the sunnorters of the Reform Party, because I have seen little possibility of an agreement on principle. T have condemned a fusion as T am opposed to any opportunist settlement on tire basis of personnel I wish it to be clearly understood that personal considerations should no aff-ct the issue, and for my part, they will not be allowed to.